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Treatment for Menopausal Night Sweats

One of the most talked about and uncomfortable symptoms of menopause are hot flashes, or a feeling of heat that starts in the face and neck and continues into the chest. When these occur in the evening and are accompanied by sweating, they are called night sweats. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to treat and prevent them so you can get a good night's sleep.

  1. Possible Triggers

    • Night sweats are a fairly common problem for menopausal women, but knowing what triggers them can help you experience them less often. Triggers can include hot environments such as a sauna, a hot tub or hot and/or humid weather. Hot drinks, spicy food and alcoholic beverages can cause a hot flash to occur. Other triggers are tobacco, marijuana use and stress.

    Proper Nutrition

    • Night sweats can deplete the body of nutrients it needs to be healthy. Making sure you get all the nutrients your body needs every day can help control hot flashes and night sweats. Calcium, vitamin C, magnesium, B vitamins and potassium are all essential for your health and for preventing hot flashes. It may also be helpful to limit intake of refined sugars, as these can make menopause symptoms worse. Some women find that taking a daily vitamin E or bioflavonoid supplement can help keep flashes under control. Menopausal women can benefit from increasing the amount of soy products they eat.

    Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

    • During menopause, the body produces lower levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Hormone replacement therapy is the main medical treatment for symptoms of menopause. This type of treatment involves introducing synthetic hormones into the body. These hormones, although synthetic, mimic natural hormones once they enter the body. Just like any other medical treatment, hormone replacement therapy may not work for everyone and there are risks involved. Long-term use of HRT has been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer and blood clots.

    Natural and Herbal Treatments

    • For those women who want a more natural approach to controlling night sweats, herbal remedies may be able to help. Some common herbal supplements for relieving or controlling hot flashes and night sweats include ginseng, evening primrose oil, chickweed tincture and sage.

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